Fish and Chips - Unbelievable difference

[omniflow]

I thought I was a bit of a connoisseur of Fish and Chips - I've tried several of the recommended places in London and used to live near Toffs in Muswell Hill and got takeaway from there regularly.

However, on Friday I found myself at a loose end in Scarborough. I checked on Trip Advisor and got my "supper" from North Bay Fisheries. The fish was unbelievable - batter was light and crispy, the fish was 100% bone free and really fresh. I wished I'd skipped on the chips and just has 2 or 3 portions of the fish, but the queue was halfway down the street.

I know that part of it is really fresh fish, and another big plus is that everything is cooked to order, but there must be something else to it. Anyone know anywhere down south that even comes close?

[sly fox]

If you are in London, look up Kerbishers.
http://kerbisher.co.uk/locations.php

Best fish and chips i've ever had. I've been to the supposed best places on the NE coast, and tried a few in Devon and Cornwall, but these guys beat them hands down (not quite as nice a view mind).

[Voldemort]

omniflow said:

...but there must be something else to it.

Almost certainly the difference between cooking in oil (s) and dripping (n).

[red_slr]

omniflow said:

I wished I'd skipped on the chips and just has 2 or 3 portions of the fish, but the queue was halfway down the street.

There is a place in Thornton (they also have others in Lancs) called Seniors and they do 3 small portions of fish - its something else!

[kowalski655]

Seniors is awesome,I used to go there all the time when i lived in Blackpool.Restaurnt had a good selection of more oddball fish IIRC

[Tonsko]

Haddock vs Cod?

[red_slr]

We drive a 2 hour round trip to go to seniors in Thornton - its well worth it.

I think the only other place I would rate as good is Stiens in Padstow.

[Nezquick]

I always find it weird when they keep the skin on the fish down south. That's just not right with fish n chips.

[sly fox]

Nezquick said:

I always find it weird when they keep the skin on the fish down south. That's just not right with fish n chips.

Really ? Much of the nutrition and taste is from the skin, or more precisely, the fat just under the skin. Not everywhere does it though.

[vournikas]

I'm not particularly interested in nutrition from fish 'n chips; I want flavour! Besides, skin on fish is a textural for me.

BTW, another vote here for Padstow's FnC. I've only tried it once, but I can't think of a better example.

[inabox]

Seaside fish and chips is grim. Skin on and usually cod. I find it really odd you have to climb the Pennines to get decent fish and chips in this country. You can't hey chip spice in the hills though, which of a shame.

[DragsterRR]

Of course the only decent chippys are in the Pennines.

[bingybongy]

Tonsko said:

Haddock vs Cod?

Yup.

They got Haddock in Scarborough.

[battered]

Haddock. Skin on. That's the difference, you get the same in Grimsby.

[Rosscow]

Marino's Fish Bar in Rye, East Sussex. Superb.

[sly fox]

DragsterRR said:

Of course the only decent chippys are in the Pennines.

You do realise this is total b0ll0x?

English soldiers returning from fights in Europe/Spain came back with the story of fried/battered fish - it's been a dish in Spain since the 1700's. Why would that transferred idea then pop up in the middle of Yorkshire and not one of the southern naval bases? There are restaurants on the South coast claiming the same thing!

And the idea that the best fish and chips is in the part of the country furthest away from the sea is also tosh! Freshest is best- you would be either near the sea or near a good fish market. You can always taste when frozen fish has been used and not fresh fish.

When i lived by the coast in Devon, you would never go to fish and chip shops or some of the better restaurants on a Monday- reason being the markets were closed on Sundays so they couldn't get the freshest produce.


Good thread though- maybe get a wiki of 'great' fish and chip shops, some with a decent reputation or multiple reviews?

[Rosscow]

sly fox said:

DragsterRR said:

Of course the only decent chippys are in the Pennines.

You do realise this is total b0ll0x?

English soldiers returning from fights in Europe/Spain came back with the story of fried/battered fish - it's been a dish in Spain since the 1700's. Why would that transferred idea then pop up in the middle of Yorkshire and not one of the southern naval bases? There are restaurants on the South coast claiming the same thing!

And the idea that the best fish and chips is in the part of the country furthest away from the sea is also tosh! Freshest is best- you would be either near the sea or near a good fish market. You can always taste when frozen fish has been used and not fresh fish.

When i lived by the coast in Devon, you would never go to fish and chip shops or some of the better restaurants on a Monday- reason being the markets were closed on Sundays so they couldn't get the freshest produce.


Good thread though- maybe get a wiki of 'great' fish and chip shops, some with a decent reputation or multiple reviews?

You do realise that the plaque shown is for fried CHIPS - nothing to do with fish - right?

[Rick101]

We have fantastic Fish n Chips up here. All along the coastline they are delicious.

Worst I've ever had were in Milton Keynes. worked down there for 6 years and never once had one to match The North.

[battered]

I doubt that any one country can lay claim to fried fish, battered, breaded or otherwise. Humans have been living on the stuff for millennia, all over the world. I'm very sure that as soon as the cooking pot was invented the art of frying things wasn't far behind.

[Abbott]

You should try finding good Fish & Chips in Paris